Milton b



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MILTON B. BISHOP, OF WHITINGHAM, VERMONT.

WASHING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 26,157, dated November 22, 1859.

To all 'whom fit may concern:

Be it known that I, MILTON B. BISHOP, of lVhitingham, in the county of Windham and the State of Vermont, have invented an Improved Vashing-Nlachine; and I do hereby declare that the same is fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, of which- Figure l is a top view, Fig. 2 a longitudinal section of it.

In the said machine, two washboards are employed, one being arranged over the other and the two having machinery or brakes so applied to them as to enable each by the vibration of the levers or brakes of the lower to be put into reciprocating movements in opposite directions.

In the drawings, A, denotes the tub or reservoir in which the said wash boards are arranged as exhibited at B, and C. The lowermost one is suspended within the tub A, by means of two pendulous rods, D, I), and has two arms E E extended backward from its two opposite rear corners, such arms being jointed to the lower ends of a bent lever or brake, F, formed as shown in the drawings, the said brake being composed of two bent levers, b, b, united at their upper ends by a cross bar c. Each lever b, has its fulcrum arranged at a short distance above its connection with the lower washboard C, the same being as shown at f, in the drawings. Furthermore, a rod, G, connects the two levers b, Z, at a short distance above their fulcra and serves as a fulcrum for another brake or set of levers, g, g, united at their upper ends by a hand or cross bar, L. The lower end of each of the levers, g, g, receives a rod, z', which extends through such lever, and is supported by the upper wash board B. The upper surface of the lower wash board, as well as the lower surface of the upper wash board is fluted transversely as shown atl 7c, Z. Furthermore a short distance from the rod, z', the brake, H, carries a rocker shaft, K, whose journals are supported by the levers, g, g. Across the said shaft a slotted bar, L, is laid, a pin, m, extending from the rocker shaft and into the slot, n, of the said bar. The opposite extremity of such bar, L, are connected respectively to the ends of the upper wash board, B, by means of helical springs, M, M.

On laying hold of the brake, F, and imparting to it -a reciprocating motion, both wash boards will be moved backward and forward, one moving backward while the other may be going in the opposite direction. The effect of the springs, M, the bar, L, and the rocker shaft, K, is to tilt the upper wash board during its forward motion in such manner as to raise the front end of the clothes more or less so as to enable them to swell or expand preparatory to each contraction by the rear end of the wash board. Furthermore, the said appliances K, L, and M, M, enable the upper wash -board to be turned over and held in position as shown in Fig. 3, which is a side elevation of the washing machine, such being a convenient position for an attendant to use the board for hand washing.

By laying hold of the brake, I-I, while the other brake is in movement, the attendant will be able to force the upper wash board down upon the clothes with any desirable amount of pressure, such clothes while being washed being placed between the two wash boards.

The above described machine is very convenient and effective in its operation.

Having thus described my invention what I claim therein is as follows:

1. I claim the means of operating the two wash boards, viz, the arrangement and application of the two sets of levers or brakes, F, I-I, together and with respect to the wash boards B, C, disposed one over the other and in the tub as described.

2. I also claim in combina-tion with the upper wash board, B, and its brake, H, the rocker shaft, K, the slide bar, L, and the springs M, M, the same being for the purpose or objects as specified, meaning also to claim the combination of the said rocker shaft, the slide and springs.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my signature.

MILTON B. BISHOP.

I/Vitnesses T. H. STREETOR, I-InrsIBnTI-I S'rRnE'roR. 

